Time of the Season
by The Pen Vs The Sword
Summary: Carmelita is tracking an arms smuggler with a gambling addiction. Sly/Carmelita One-shot


**A/N:** I am on a ROLL! Yeah!

Pen:?

Uh, I mean I've got another story. I'm going to try my hand at something else than a Sonic story this time.

Pen: Thank God...

And do a Sly Cooper story!

Pen: You've got to be joking. Why don't- Hey who took my wallet?

Sword: Ha-ha! I've got your money!

Pen: Come back you dolt! En garde!

That's the spirit. Anyway, I don't own Sly Cooper or any characters. They are owned by Sucker Punch. And the song that inspired this is by the Zombies.

**Time of the Season**

_Where is this guy?_ was the thought that ran through Inspector Carmelita Fox's mind as she sat the poker table in the casino. Save for her and the dealer, there was nobody at the table since she had won almost every hand.

However, she was in no mood to really play poker. She had been assigned to recon on a casino that was apparently run by an arms smuggler, Dominic Schultz. Word had it that Dominic was an avid gambler and simply adored a good game of poker.

So far, there had been no sigh of him. Just a few rich people looking to throw away their excess money and the random guy trying to hit on her. Either way, all of them had walked away with the wallets a little lighter than before.

She was about to just give it up and call headquarters to tell them that Dominic was a no-show when another stranger came up to the card table. Unlike the others, this man wore a tan peacoat and rubber boots, with what looked like an admiral's cap covering his eyes. His hands were jammed in his pockets and he gave off an air of suspicion. But the smile he gave her seemed to make her feel a bit more at ease.

From what she could tell, he was a brownish raccoon with strips along his tail.

"Goo' evenin' ta ya," he said, sounding exactly like some sort of sailor. "Mind if I get a few hands in?"

Carmelita mentally debated staying. She hadn't seen Dominic all night and there didn't seem to be much chance of him showing up now. _Still_, she tried to hope,_ I think I'll give it just a little bit longer_. She nodded to the man. He took one of the seats at the table as the dealer gave them each five cards.

"So what do you do for a living mister...?"

"Nicholas. Captain Nicholas Sheffield. But ya can jus' call me Nicholas," he responded as he gave the dealer three cards and received three in return. "And wha' about you lass? What fair name did ye parents bless ya wit'?"

"Adriana. Adriana Gramina."

"Lovely name," he smiled.

He layed his cards on the table, revealing two pair. Carmelita showed off her three of a kind. "Ach, it do seem that Lady Luck is wit' ye and not wit' me today."

She collected the chips as the dealer dealt again. "So what brings you here Nicholas?" she questioned as she decided which cards to get rid of.

"Well, me and me boys got a good haul o' fish today. So I'm here ta see if I can't double that." He tossed a card to the dealer. "And ye yeself Miss Gramina? What brings ye 'ere?"

"Please just Adrinana. And I'm here to see if I can't meet Senor Schultz. I've heard he absolutely adores poker."

"Aye, that he does lass. That he does. Tis the reason he invested in this here casino," the man lay his cards down and this time, took the pot.

"You've met him?" Carmelita asked. Maybe this night wouldn't have been a complete waste of time.

"I've jus' 'eard the normal rumors like everyone else lass," he responded as he studied his cards.

"Oh," she said defeated. Now, where did she have to turn to? _Where's that damn ringtail when you need him? Could use him to get something on Dominic._

"Oy, lass. Ye alright?" Nicholas waved his hands in front of Carmelita's face and she realized that she had been daydreaming about the infamous Sly Cooper helping her with this case.

"Yes, I'm alright," she answered and studied her cards. _Dead Man's Hand. Not a good sign_, she thought.

"Looks like ye was deep in thought," Nicholas commented. "Thinkin' o' someone?"

"Just a certain...thief who usually shows up at the most inopportune moments," she said as she folded.

"A thief eh? Can't be all bad if ye was thinkin' about 'im that 'ard," Nicholas pointed out.

She smiled. "No, he can be quite charming when he wants to be. And he does end up helping me out of some pretty tight spots from time to time."

Nicholas grinned as if he had a secret that she didn't know about.

"Sounds ta me lass like ye might be smitten with 'im," he said as he lost another hand to Carmelita.

She laughed at the idea. "No, I don't think he and I would go very well together."

"Why not?"

"Because..." but Carmelita drew a blank. She couldn't think of any reason other than the fact that she was a cop and Sly was a thief.

"See, maybe ye should give 'im a chance."

"Hm, I don't know," Carmelita said as she tried to change the subject.

"Don't turn away from this lass. Love is not something ta be trifled with," Nicholas warned. "Ye only get one shot at it an' if ye miss it, then that's it."

"Sounds like you've had experience in this," Carmelita raised her eyebrow at him as she won yet another hand.

"Well there is one lass I care fer, but she is stubborn and won't accept that there is something between me and herself," Nicholas said as he placed more chips in the pot.

"Well maybe she'll accept you one day," Carmelita said, trying to be sympathetic.

"Aye, I 'ope yer right lass. I 'ope yer right."

It was then that Carmelita spotted the person she had been looking. "Dominc," she whispered. He was a tall bull, wearing a navy blue suit and red tie. He seemed to be walking around the casino as if looking for someone to play.

"Ach, that's Dominic? Always thought the feller would be taller," Nicholas said.

"Well lass, it looks like ye might get to play 'im." Carmelita nodded as she tried to think of the best way to get him to come over to her table.

"Here lass," Carmelita heard. She hadn't realized that Nicholas had stood up and was holding out what appeared to be a white business card. "That was a good game Ms. Gramina. If ever you need some fish, jus' be sure ta give ol' Nicholas a call."

She smiled and took the card. "Thank you," she said as Nicholas walked off, surprisingly in the direction of Dominic.

She saw Nicholas talk to Dominic and point over to her table. Dominic looked over and nodded to Nicholas before the two parted ways, with Dominic heading for her.

"Ms. Gramina? I've heard that you are quite he poker player," Dominic said when he sat himself at her table. "Care to play a game?'

"Sure," she responded. She glanced over at Nicholas who gave her a grin and tipped his hat, before he vanished into the crowd.

She took out the business card that Nicholas had handed her, but it just seemed like an ordinary business card. At least until she flipped it over.

Emblazoned on the back of the card was the blue Cooper Crest. Underneath is cursive writing was a message that said "Hope you'll accept me one day-Sly".

She shook her head. "Ringtail," she muttered to herself before she focused on the game.

**A/N:**Well I hope you enjoyed that as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Pen: Give me back the money you twit.

Anyway, hope you liked it. Please review.


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